


Moments Like This

by TheReviewess



Series: Heroics Run In The Family [7]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Child Inquisitor, F/F, Family Bonding, Family Fluff, Flowers, Kid Fic, Parent-Child Relationship, Post-Dragon Age: Origins, Pre-Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-27
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-08-08 11:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16428806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheReviewess/pseuds/TheReviewess
Summary: The Blight is over and Leliana and Aerineyn Mahariel go off to find Mahariel's daughter, Faenra Mahariel. Upon finding the girl, Leliana sees Aerin in a completely new light.Post-Origins, Pre-Awakening.





	Moments Like This

**Author's Note:**

> Please note, Faerna Mahariel is going to eventually become Faenra Lavellan, The Inquisitor. That's why the Inquisitor is tagged. So this is The Inquisitor pre Inquisition, and as a child.

The day after the Blight was over, Aerinwyn Mahariel was being treated for wounds that she sustained in battle. Leliana was thankful that Aerin was unconscious most of the time, as it made taking care of her much easier. However, that changed the second Aerin was awake. She made life so unbearably difficult, to the point where Leliana had to threaten her to just sit still and let her body rest.

A month later, the Warden was still not healed completely, but she refused to stay cooped up anymore on “this fucking Shem city” as she put it. Leliana couldn't blame her, but she really did wish Mahariel let herself heal. Instead, the two spent months on the road, hunting down Aerinwyn's only child. Word was sent that the child was in the Free Marches now with Clan Lavellan, and so Mahariel made haste. Thankfully she and Leliana were gifted horses to make the journey faster.

(Though Aerin bitched about her arse being sore after the first day. Still, she managed to get Leliana to give her upper thighs and buttocks a massage… a massage that most definitely turned into something else.)

Now in the Free Marches, and now with Clan Lavellan, Leliana finally saw Aerinwyn Mahariel for who she was.

The Clan let both women into their camp with surprisingly open arms. Some elves were wary of Leliana, but Aerin herself was treated like a great hero (as she should be, Leliana thought to herself). She certainly looked the part, sitting astride a massive grey horse with the blue of the Grey Warden Armor sticking out amongst the trees and foliage and a Mabari by her side. She looked almost regal, and her stance commanded attention from anyone who looked at her. That all changed when a tiny elfling broke through the crowd of Dalish elves.

“Mamae!” The elfling cried out.

In that moment, Aerin's regal-like persona changed to something Leliana hadn't been able to see before.

Scrambling down from her mount, Aerin met the little elf, and swept the child into her arms, spinning her a few times. Tears streamed down both of their faces as they sort of flopped onto the grass with a laugh.

Leliana never got to see Aerinwyn as a mother. When they had healed all the elves in Zathrian's Clan, everyone except Aerin and Zevran was forced out of camp, and had to make their camp elsewhere for the night. Zevran had been the messenger between everyone and Aerin during that time. The Warden refused to leave until she knew her daughter was going to be fine, to which everyone agreed, but once she was given a clean bill of health, they would head out. So during that time, only Zevran was able to see this side of the Warden.

Now, as dusk drew near, Leliana watched as Aerinwyn Mahariel, a simple Dalish hunter, raced after a small horde of children in a game of tag. The group was running about in an open field at the edge of the forest, where there was nothing but grasslands as far as the eye could see. Gone was the Warden Armor, and anything relating to them. This was just Aerin, a Dalish hunter that is more childlike than the rest of them. Watching her was like taking a breath of fresh air after being submerged in water for too long. This was the woman that Leliana fell in love with, and all she could do now was thank the Maker for her good fortune.

She was pulled from her thoughts when a small redheaded elf sat next to her. She carried a basket of flowers, Leliana noticed quite a bit of Andraste's Grace inside, along with others.

“Mamae said you like flowers,” The little elf said, putting the basket in her lap. “She and I went to find these flowers this morning and said if I asked nicely, you could help me make a flower crown. She said you make them better than she does.”

Leliana doubted that she was better than the Warden at this task, but she did know a thing or two about weaving flowers into hair. So she had that advantage.

“Did she now?” Leliana asked, glancing over at the Warden, who was pretending she was the big bag Archdemon. Her hands were over her head and she took massive steps, stomping into the dirt as she lumbered along. It was adorable, but also rubbed Leliana the wrong way. “Is that why you're here instead of playing with the others.”

“I don't want to play a game that involved my mom almost dying, thanks.”

Even for one so young, she clearly knew of the danger her mother had undertaken to save them all. Leliana couldn't blame her for that. Especially since she had also just lost her father. Clearly someone told her that slaying an Archdemon usually killed that Warden, and her mother was some strange exception (one Leliana didn't understand, and honestly had no desire to at the moment). It was clear that the little girl needed a distraction from the game that everyone else was so invested in, and this was it.

“Well I certainly can help, but I make things very differently than your mother.”

“Okay,” the girl, Faenra, said with a shrug of her shoulders.

The two worked well together. Leliana's deft fingers moved through Faenra's hair like she had done this hundreds of times. Faenra dutifully passed the young woman a flower whenever she asked for it. Soon enough, Faenra had many little flowers poking out of an intricate looking hairstyle. Leliana silently applauded her work.

“You know, you are far easier to work with when compared to your mother,” Leliana told the girl with a teasing smile.

“Really?” Faenra asked, raising only one eyebrow in disbelief. The similarities between Faenra and Aerin were so striking, even their mannerisms were the same. It only made Leliana wonder if Faenra would be as much of a troublemaker when compared to the older Mahariel. For her own sanity, Leliana hoped not. She could barely handle one Mahariel and her bad life choices, two would just be testing her sanity.

“She squirms,” Leliana replied sagely.

That made Faenra giggle. It was clear she knew her mother couldn't keep still. Even for a ten year old, she was rather perceptive.

“Oi, what's with the giggles. You best not be makin’ fun of me again!” Aerin yelled as she jogged over the the group.

Side by side, Leliana could see only the slightest differences. Their eyes, while shaped the same, had different colors. Aerin sported green eyes, like the forest, and Faenra's were an icy blue that reminded Leliana of the ice seen in the Frostbacks. They had slightly different noses, Aerin's pointed up more and it was apparent that she had broken it before. Fae had no such damage to her face. Their facial expressions were so similar, it made Leliana smile.

“You make it so easy,” Leliana teased the Warden.

Mahariel grumbled but settled down next to Faenra, pulling the smaller elf into her lap. “Do you see the things I gotta put up with Fae. This is insubordination!”

“I don't even know what that word means,” Fae told her mother, “but it sounds like you're being a big baby.”

Aerin's jaw dropped in shock, and Leliana stifled a giggle. Little Faenra hit the nail right on the head with that statement.

“You turned my kid against me!” Aerin cried out in disbelief.

“She's coming to the light, Aerin, and you can't stop it.” Leliana teased, knocking their shoulders together.

“Traitors, both of you.” Aerinwyn decided in an equally teasing tone. Her arms wrapped tightly around her daughter. Faenra hummed happily and leaned back against her mother, enjoying the moment.

“You love us,” Leliana told her.

The two watched as sky went from light to dark. They listened as the sounds of the forest changed, the day time creatures began their nightly rituals while the nocturnal creatures woke and prepared for a new day. The sounds of the clan preparing dinner could be heard behind them, but someone would fetch the three of them when it was ready.

As night rose around them, Aerinwyn felt her daughter doze off against her chest. She looked down, using the last bit of light left in the sky, and smiled at the sleeping elf with flowers woven into her hair. Still quite confused how she of all people could have created someone so good, and so perfect as Faenra, but thankful for it none the less.

“Yeah. I do.” The Warden finally said with a small smile.

Leliana also smiled and said her arm low across the Warden's back. She may not have seen Aerin like this before, but she looked forward to spending the rest of their life with many more moments just like this.


End file.
